Sometimes all you need is a slice of pizza to set your mood right. Undoubtedly, the love for pizza is universal. And if it is loaded Edge to Edge® with toppings, it becomes consistently delicious, bite after savory bite. This is exactly what Donatos Pizza brings for you.
Donatos Pizza is something more than just pizza. It certainly goes to great lengths to make delicious pizza of the highest quality, but it thinks its job is bigger than that. It considers that its job is to enhance the experience of getting together with family, friends, and co-workers and enrich people’s lives and their relationships. It aims to build community. It thinks about people first - with Donatos Pizza as a means to a bigger, and much more fulfilling end.
We at The Franchise Universe caught up with Tom Krouse, the CEO, and Jane Grote Abell, Executive Chairwoman of the Board of Donatos Pizza, to learn more about the company and how it combines innovation and a strong ROI to drive the success of its franchisees.
The Inception Story
Donatos Pizza was founded on the south side of Columbus, Ohio in 1963 by Jim Grote. Jim started the business based on the Golden Rule by treating others the way he wanted to be treated and making every decision based on love. He also wanted to serve the best pizza and make people’s day a little better.
Over the past 58 years, the Donatos Pizza way of doing business and the consistency of its delicious, Edge to Edge® topped thin-crust pizzas has been tremendously successful as it is now served at more than 350 locations in 21 states.
Running a Values-based Business
Donatos Pizza was started as a family-owned business and continues as one to this day. Its core values are Integrity, Loving, Fun, Of Service, Open Minded, and Disciplined. Its team values people in all that they do – its associates, its franchise partners, its business partners, and its customers.
“We strive to treat everyone the way that we want to be treated,” says Jane, who is a founding family member of the company her dad, Jim, started.
Being Famous for Large Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza
Donatos Pizza is known for its large thin crust pepperoni pizza which has 100 pieces of crispy, heritage pepperoni covering aged, smoked Provolone cheese Edge to Edge®. It is the pizza that put Donatos on the map and continues to be the favorite. The fresh, premium toppings are the star of the show on its pizzas. Donatos Pizza also has oven-baked subs and wings, salads, and desserts.
It’s Bigger than Pizza
Ever since Donatos Pizza was founded, it has looked for ways to be a good neighbor and a contributor in every community where it is located. From providing quality food that brings people together to providing jobs for people in the community to giving back to individuals and organizations that help others, Donatos truly believes that it is bigger than a pizza.
A recent example of this is all the food donations its locations have given during the pandemic to front line health care workers and first responders as well as groups and organizations who are helping people in need. Donatos Pizza is proud of how its stores have worked to make a positive difference in the communities it serves.
Providing Sufficient Training to New Associates
While shedding light on its training program, Tom mentions that prior to opening a new restaurant, the franchise partner and their management team undergo training at a current Donatos Pizza restaurant. Then, just prior to the grand opening, a Promise Team of current Donatos Pizza associates will travel to the new store to assist in training the new associates before the opening and then help with on-the-job training as the new store begins its operations.
The Donatos Pizza Operating Platform – the way it makes its food – is simple to learn and helps with the consistency of its products.
Simplifying Routine and Repetitive Tasks
Donatos Pizza continues to improve its online ordering website and app to make it easier for its customers to order its products. Through efforts at a Donatos Pizza sister business, the Edge Innovation Hub, Donatos Pizza is constantly looking for ways to simplify or automate some of the routine, repetitive tasks that go into making its products to reallocate its people to spend more time serving its customers.
Expanding Outreach with Growth of Existing Franchise Partners
Donatos Pizza is continuing to expand its reach through the growth of existing franchise partners, the addition of new franchise partners, new non-traditional locations including ghost kitchens, and partnerships with existing brands.
